Combined greeting card and greeting card holder



J. L. KRAUSE July 19, 1966 COMBINED GREETING CARD AND GREETING CARD HOLDER Filed Feb. 8, 1965 fiazzse. 4'7

United States Patent 3,261,535 COMBINED GREETING CARD AND GREETING CARD HOLDER John L. Krause, 3310 Thornberry Road, Glenview, Ill. Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 430,945 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-35) The present invention relates to a combined greeting card and a greeting oard holder and is particularly concerned with the provision of a greeting card which meets all the requirements of the postal regulations and which may be used by those receiving the greeting cards for storing and preserving the greeting cards received from others.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved one piece greeting card and card holder which will hold 150 to 200 greeting cards.

Another object is the provision of an improved pattern for a greeting card which is easy to mail, and also easy to assemble or convert into a useful greeting card holder.

Another object is the provision of a combined greeting card and :card holder which is sturdy, durable, simple, economical, and attractive.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combined greeting card and greeting card holder, assembled into a holder and containing greeting cards received from others;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the greeting card and the blank, which may be formed into a greeting card holder as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the holder in the process of forming the holder;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 66 of FIG. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings:

10 indicates in its entirety, the greeting card pattern, which is preferably p-recut and prefiolded or scored to be bent or folded :along the dotted lines 12, 14, 16, 18, to be shaped and assembled into a greeting card holder of the type shown in perspective at 20, simulating an old fashioned toboggan, having an upwardly curved front runner 22, a box-like body 24, and streamlined side walls 26, 28.

The pattern 10 for the greeting card may be provided with any type of ornamentation and greeting printed thereon, land it may be made out of a rectangular piece of paper, cardboard or other material such as a velour faced paper bearing a silk screen printing of an appropriate subject such was a winter scene.

The pattern 10 has a rectangular bottom area 30', located between the dotted lines, and the portions of the pattern 10 used for the side walls are indicated at 32, 34, forming a box-like body 24, when the side walls 32, 34, are bent or folded up at right angles to the bottom area 30, along the dotted lines 12, 14.

The bottom area 30, and side wall areas 32, 34, are preferably elongated to simulate a toboggan as shown in perspective at 20, and each of the areas 30, 32, 34, carriers an end flap 36, 38, 40, and 42, 44, 46, at each end of the pattern 10.

The pattern 10 may be scored or prefolded along the dotted lines 12, 14, 16, 18, making it easy to shape the pattern into an elongated rectangular box as shown at 20.

The pattern is also precut by means of a suitable die MIC and the end flaps 36, 38, 40, and 42, 44, 46, are separated by precut slits 48, 50, 52, 54, preparatory to easy formation of the box.

The end flaps 36, 40, and 42, 46, \are also cut or punched to form the wedge shaped tabs 56, 58, 60, 62, in the pattern 10, the tabs being still attached along the dotted lines 64, at the narrower end of the Wedge, and the full lines of the wedges also defining a Wedge shaped opening in the pattern in each case.

The flap 38 may have a pair of short diagonal slits 66, for receiving the sharp corners of the wedge tabs 56, 58, to hold the toboggan more securely in assembled relation as shown in perspective at 20.

The flap 44- also is formed with a precut slit 68 long enough to pass the wedge tabs 60, 62.

The side walls 26, 28, may have their upper edges 70, 72, streamlined, that is, the edges 70, 72, curve downward to a point of maximum concavity and then curve upward, simulating the sides of a toboggan.

The formation of the pattern 10 into a tobogg-an shape is made as follows: The sides 32, 34, are bent up at right angles to bottom 30 along dotted lines 12, 14. The end flaps 42, 46, are folded in at right angles to the sides 32, 34, along the dotted line 18 until the flaps 42, 46, overlap each other and the tabs 60, 62, are in registry with each other. The flap 44 is folded up inside. the flaps 42, 46, forming a box end, and the wedge tabs 60, 62, are pushed in through their own apertures and inserted in the slit 68. The wedge tabs 60, 62, are then bent downward to retain the box end in assembled position.

At the front end of the, box 20, the flaps 36, 40, are folded over each other along the dotted line 16 and the wedge tabs 56, 58, are pushed out through their own apertures and bent downward. The flap 38 is curved upward as shown at 22 to form the trout runner of the tobo ggan and flap 38 is caught under the downwardly turned wedge tabs 56, 58. The sharp corners of the wedge tabs 56, 58, are inserted into slits 66, to retain the wedge more securely.

The instructions provided with each greeting card are substantially as follows:

(1) Spread out the pattern on a flat surface.

(2) Fold up sides along scored lines so that lettering appears on the outside.

(3) Fold in the outside flaps on the front end which are lettered Toboggan and push wedge-shaped tabs to the outside.

(4) Lift up remaining front flap and hook it under the two tabs to form the curved front runner. Insert the corners of the tabs into the provided slits.

1 (5) Fold up the rear center fiarp which :contains the s it.

(6) Fold in the remaining rear flaps. Then push the tabs through the slit toward the inside of the container and press them up so as to lock in place.

The greeting card has now been formed into a greeting card holder and will hold to 200 greeting cards.

It will thus be observed I have provided a greeting card having a one piece construction which meets all of the mail requirements. After the present greeting card has been received by the recipient, it may be made into a convenient container for holding 150 to 200 greeting cards. The present card holder is easy to assemble, sturdy, durable, economical, and simple.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, many changes may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combined greeting card and holder for greeting cards received, comprising a generally rectangular card having a rectangular central body pattern, to form the bottom of the card holder, provided at each of its ends with longitudinally extending rectangular end flaps, carried by the ends of the central body and by two elongated side walls carried by the central body, said side walls being prefolded along the lateral edges of the bottom to be bent up at right angles to the rectangular central bottom, said end flaps being separated from each other by inwardly extending end slits located in alignment with the lateral edges of the bottom and the flaps at each end of the pattern being prefolded along a common line at each end of the bottom, the flaps at the rear end of the card holder being folded at right angles to the side walls and bottom and overlapping each other, the central end flap having a slit and the other end flaps having each a punched wedge shaped tab to be inserted in said slit to lock the end flaps at the rear end of the card holder in box form, the other end flaps at the front of the card holder also being slit from each other along lines in alignment with the lateral edge of the bottom, and the latter end flaps including two end flaps which are carried by the side walls and folded at right angles to the side walls to overlap each other and form the box at the front end of the card holder, the third end flap extending from the bottom and being curved upward at the front end of the card holder, and held beneath a pair of tabs punched out of the end flaps and said latter tabs holding this end of the card holder in box form.

2. A greeting card and card holder according to claim 1, in which the upper edges of the side walls are shaped to simulate a toboggan, by having a concavely formed upper edge, streamlined toward the front and rear of the toboggan.

3. A greeting card and card holder according to claim 2 in which the front runner of the toboggan is formed adjacent its upper end with a pair of diagonal slits for receiving the end corners of the wedge shaped tabs which hold the card folder in box form to lock the front runner securely to the wedge shaped tabs.

4. A combined greeting card and card holder for cards received from others comprising a bendable and foldable card pattern having an elongated central rectangular bottom provided with side portions as long as the bottom and adapted to be folded upward at right angles along the lateral edges of the bottom, said pattern also having three rectangular end flaps, separated from each other by longitudinal slits, and adapted to be folded over each other to overlap and form end Walls for the card holder in the form of a box, two of the end flaps at each end of the pattern each having a wedge shaped tab punched out, said wedge shaped tabs being drawn through the hole formed in punching out wedge shaped tabs, to hold the end walls together in box form, one of the end flaps being carried by the end of the bottom and one of said latter end flaps having a slit for insertion of the wedge shaped tabs at that end, and the other end flap carried by the bottom being curved upward to simulate the front runner of a toboggan and caught under the downwardly extending wedge shaped tabs at this end.

5. A combined greeting card and card holder accord ing to claim 4, in which the front runner is provided with a pair of diagonal slits adjacent the upper end of the front runner for securing to outer corners of the wedge shaped tabs at this end to lock the front runner securely in place.

6. A combined greeting card and card holder, according to claim 5, in which the lateral side walls of the card holder are curved along streamlines concavely at their upper edges to further simulate a toboggan.

7. All novel features in their broadest aspect not otherwise specifically claimed which are disclosed in the accompanying specification and drawing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,118,821 5/1938 Ringler 229-8 X 2,120,470 6/ 1938 Patterson 22935 3,008,626 11/ 1961 Lawrence 22935 X 3,073,505 1/ 1963 Ullger 22935 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COMBINED GREETING CARD AND HOLDER FOR GREETING CARDS RECEIVED, COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR CARD HAVING A RECTANGULAR CENTRAL BODY PATTERN, TO FORM THE BOTTOM OF THE CARD HOLDER, PROVIDED AT EACH OF ITS ENDS WITH LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RECTANGULAR END FLAPS, CARRIED BY THE ENDS OF THE CENTRAL BODY AND BY TWO ELONGATED SIDE WALLS CARRIED BY THE CENTRAL BODY, SAID SIDE WALLS BEING PREFOLDED ALONG THE LATERAL EDGES OF THE BOTTOM TO BE BENT UP AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE RETANGULAR CENTRAL BOTTOM, SAID END FLAPS BEING SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY INWARDLY EXTENDING ENDS SLITS LOCATED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE LATERAL EDGES OF THE BOTTOM AND THE FLAPS AT EACH END OF THE PATTERN BEING PREFOLDED ALONG A COMMON LINE AT EACH END OF THE BOTTOM, THE FLAPS AT THE REAR END OF THE CARD HOLDER BEING FOLDED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE SIDE WALLS AND BOTTOM AND OVERLAPPING EACH OTHER, THE CENTRAL END FLAP HAVING A SLIT AND THE OTHER END FLAPS HAVING EACH A PUNCHED WEDGE SHAPED TAB TO BE INSERTED IN SAID SLIT TO LOCK THE END FLAPS AT THE REAR END OF THE CARD HOLDER IN THE BOX FORM, THE OTHER END FLAPS AT THE FRONT OF THE CARD HOLDER ALSO BEING SLIT FROM EACH OTHER ALONG LINES IN ALIGN- 